Frederick: Flood-related road repairs estimated at $2.4 million

By Whitney BryenLongmont Times-Call

Posted:
10/13/2013 10:28:11 PM MDT

Updated:
10/13/2013 10:30:28 PM MDT

Weld County Road 7, a quarter-mile south of Colo. Highway 119, is still under water as of Friday. Initial repairs to make the road usable are estimated at $240,000, according to town officials.
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LEWIS GEYER
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FREDERICK -- Floodwaters that washed away roads across Carbon Valley caused more than $2.4 million in damage in Frederick, officials said.

That initial estimate from town engineers is for five projects; the cost of repairing two others is still unknown.

The town's top priority is Godding Hollow Parkway (Weld County Road 18) between East Frontage Road and Silver Birch, where 30 feet of the road was completely washed out, said Dick Leffler, engineering and utilities director for the town. That repair is likely to cost $660,000.

Engineers considered traffic volume, the availability of alternate routes and the effect on businesses and schools when prioritizing the projects, he said.

Repairing Godding Hollow Parkway -- where 30 feet of road was washed out -- between the East Frontage Road and Silver Birch is Frederick's No. 1 priority because it is near an elementary school and businesses.
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LEWIS GEYER
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"Godding Hollow is an arterial road and there's an elementary school on that road and several businesses, so that's definitely part of the consideration," Leffler said.

Initial repairs to Aggregate Boulevard between Weld County Road 20.5 and Colo. Highway 119 -- second on the list of priorities -- are estimated to cost $240,000. That amount will make the road usable, but an additional $150,000 will be needed to fully restore it.

Other roads needing repairs include Wetlands Loop between West Conservation Drive and Wetlands Drive; Bella Rosa (WCR 20) between Conservation Drive and Wetland Drive; and Tipple Parkway (WCR 16) between East Frontage Road and Eagle Boulevard.

Insurance and government agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will likely reimburse Frederick for most of the repairs, officials said, but the town will be responsible for initial costs.

Kristi Ritter, a spokeswoman for Firestone, said road damage there is still being assessed and no initial estimates are available yet.

Dacono did not suffer any damage to paved roads, but estimates about $300,000 in repairs are needed to gravel roads, said city administrator AJ Euckert.

Administrators are applying for FEMA "betterment" grants, which would provide money for paving the gravel roads to avoid future damage, Euckert said.

"It would provide an opportunity for us to improve those roads since they need work anyway," Euckert said.